Jussie Smollett, who starred on the TV show Empire took the witness stand Monday at his trial on charges of staging a racist, anti-gay attack on himself and lying to Chicago police about it.

Jussie Smollett "is a real victim" of a "real crime," his lawyertold jurors on Monday at the start of the formerEmpireactor's trial, despite prosecutors' claim that he staged a homophobic and racist attack in Chicago.